Response to Sean

Sean posed this question on his blog:
Do you agree with Goodman that something could be art at one time and not another?

I do believe that this is somewhat possible. Everything has its own purpose and main use, but sometimes that can change for a period of time. The example used in class was a painting being used as a blanket. While no one would confuse a blanket and a painting, a painting could serve a different purpose at times, therefore not really making it art anymore but a blanket. However, once the purpose was served and the person was done using it as a blanket, the painting would go back to being art.

Everything can be used in different ways, and while that does not always "do away" with the primary purpose, it does change it for a period of time.

Do you think it is ever possible to permanently change the purpose of something?